Best War Movies.

[drewh01]

Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
Das Boot
We Were Soldiers - underrated

 

[SeaCat]

Depends on what you are looking for in the movie as well as what war.

My favorites are not limited to these but these are the best I can remember right now.

All Quiet on the Western Front
Fly Boys
Tora Tora Tora
Saving Private Ryan
Das Boot
Hamburger Hill
We were Soldiers Once, and Young


Cat

 

[Zeb_Carter]

The Patriot - also underrated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Patriot_(2000_film)

 

[Jagged]

Top War Movies

John Farr's Memorial Day List


10) They Were Expendable (1945)-

John Wayne wages war in PT boats. Dramatic and heroic.
9) Patton (1970)-

A patriotic biography of one of America's greatest generals. Many of the great lines were actually uttered by Patton himself.

8) All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)-
A moving film based of off the novel of the same name. War is bloody, muddy, and futile. While people should always be proud to serve their country those who romanticize it seldom see active duty.

7) The Longest Day (1962)-

An all star cast goes to war. D-day seen from every angle with Axis, Allied, and civilian views all portrayed. In this war movie John Wayne is just one of many great stars.

6) Apocalypse Now Redux (1979)-
A renegade general, an officer with a secret mission deep in enemy territory, and the Vietnam war as the backdrop. All the politics, furry and chaos of the real war. And possibly one of the greatest lines in film.

5) From Here To Eternity (1953)-

4) The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957
A classic film where British POWS labor to build a bridge for their Imperial Japanese captors. Fine film, but I hate it because it completely ignores the real heart ships of the British prisoners, and the utter brutality of the Imperial Japanese. This is a chapter Japan would like to forget and this film amounts to propaganda.

3) The Deer Hunter (1978)-
You don't find draft dodgers in a working class town. The film follows three friends as the go off to fight, and the aftermath. A must see in my opinion.

2) Saving Private Ryan (1998

It probably just would have been another action movie, but for great acting and an a powerful opening sequence. Watch the first 30 minutes of the film and it will be come very clear why they refer to the WWII generation as the greatest generation.

1) The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)-[/QUOTE]

 

[Jagged]

Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
Das Boot
We Were Soldiers - underrated

Underrated and should be shown uncut and with deleted scenes in every American history class. A film about Vietnam that proudly portrays those who fought and died there.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

1. Dr. Strangelove

2. The Deerhunter

 

[Boota]

Starship Troopers.

 

[CharleyH]

I worked on The Deerhunter, and we didn't consider it a war film--it was an antiwar film (as were The Killing Fields and Good Morning Vietnam, which I also worked on). So maybe the definition of "war film" here is a bit too broad for comparisons.

I have little interest in watching what I would classify as true "war films." Have seen very few of those listed earlier.

Interesting and I might tend to agree. I was just thinking about my choices and the definition of a war film.

What is your take on the difference? (edit to clarify: between a war and anti-war film?)

 

[Macdaddy23]

To Hell And Back
Saving Private Ryan
Patton
Band of Brothers (should have been a movie)
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
The Bridge Over The River Kwai
The Great Escape
The Dirty Dozen
Platoon

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I worked on The Deerhunter, and we didn't consider it a war film--it was an antiwar film (as were The Killing Fields and Good Morning Vietnam, which I also worked on). So maybe the definition of "war film" here is a bit too broad for comparisons.

I have little interest in watching what I would classify as true "war films." Have seen very few of those listed earlier.

"The Deerhunter" was the most blatantly anti-war movie on the list - and in my opinion - the best. It belongs in the same class as "Dr. Strangelove."

I am surprised that no one mentioned "Inglourious Basterds," which was certainly the most entertaining war movie ever made.

 

[CharleyH]

"The Deerhunter" was the most blatantly anti-war movie on the list - and in my opinion - the best. It belongs in the same class as "Dr. Strangelove."

I am surprised that no one mentioned "Inglourious Basterds," which was certainly the most entertaining war movie ever made.

Enh, it sucked with exceptions here and there. It was a film filled with haphazard nods to many movies, and all the best parts were in the beginning. The rest of the film lacked cohesion.

 

[Verdad]

What is your take on the difference? (edit to clarify: between a war and anti-war film?)

I pondered the distinction myself because it was my first thought, "wait a minute, aren't all war movies anti-war movies?" Then I decided I'm probably not familiar enough with the genre. Would love to hear what others say.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I pondered the distinction myself because it was my first thought, "wait a minute, aren't all war movies anti-war movies?" Then I decided I'm probably not familiar enough with the genre. Would love to hear what others say.

I would say that a "war movie" glamorizes combat and celebrates the victor, usually with the focus on one or more "heroes" of the conflict. It is usually told from the point of view of the prevailing nation.

An "anti-war movie" demonstrates the brtuality of war, emphasizing the loss of life on both sides of the conflict. The goal of this movie is to convince the viewer that war is pointless and should be avoided.

 

[oggbashan]

I would nominate The True Glory - from D-Day to the Fall of Berlin.

It is an Academy Award winning documentary of the invasion of Europe.

Og

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

"War is a continuation of diplomacy using other means." Carl von Clausewitz

Anti-war films must refute Clausewitz's assertion.

Personally, destroying your opponent is the quickest way to peace.

 

[Dragonlipz]

Johnny got his gun

 

[D_K_Moon]

Das Boot, the directors cut in German with English subtitles.
Schindlers List
Enemy at the Gates
Failsafe

 

[Allan_Arbinger]

All that and more

One missing is The Boys In Company C.

 

[mikey2much]

three more good ones

I think ‘The Enemy Below’ deserves a spot on the list and if you would care to go that far back ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’ should be there too. I am a little surprised that nobody mentioned ‘The African Queen’

 

[squarejohn]

Das Boot Life in a U boat. This one will make you pull for the Germans.

Zulu (a depiction of an actual battle in South Africa)

 

[thebullet]

my favorite war movie:
Letters from Iwo Jima

I also like
Heaven Knows Mr. Allison


For pure escapism:
Where Eagles Dare
Kelly's Heroes

How 'bout
Bridge on the River Kwai

 

[kromen]

I tried a top ten, but 11 is the best I can do. All of these are on my shelf.

Shaka Zulu (The mini-series) I keep it on VHS because the DVD version was cut down to less than two hours.
We were Soldiers
Patton
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Great Escape
Glory
The Patriot
Full Metal Jacket
The Boys in Company C
Saving Private Ryan
The Longest Day

 

[Miss_Pixie]

We were Soldiers, Full Metal Jacket, Legends of the Fall (The first hour or so)